Sliding-door-operating mechanism.



F. J. HTE.

SLIDING DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV- 3. 1917- Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

n45 NnRR's PETERS cu PnamL/ma. WASNINGWN. n. c.

F. J. FITE.

SLIDING DOOR'OPEBAIING MECHANISM. APPLICAUON FILED NOV-3.1911.

' 1,277,055. Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

avmwwioz FRANKJEJE wi/bvmw I EUNTTED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

FRANK JAMES FITE, 0F FORT WORTH, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JNO. G. GRIFFITH, 0F FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

SLIDING-DOOR-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed November 3, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, F RANK JAMES F rrn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Fort 1V orth, in the county of T arrant and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sliding-Door-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in sliding door operating mechanism, and more particularly to doors for closing dress goods cases in which the doors are slid back into the cases for opening the doors to display the goods and the object is to provide simple devices for aiding in the operation of such doors. The doors in use frequently slip out of the tracks and cause much trouble in opening and closing the cases. The object of this invention is to provide devices which will prevent the doors from leaving the tracks and from binding in the tracks and which will hold the doors yieldingly in the tracks during operation and at the same time prevent the doors from slipping out of the tracks. Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the following description and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application.

Figure 1 is a front view of a sliding door partially broken away, showing the manner of mounting and operating the door with the improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the door, showing the improvements and sect-ions of the upper and lower tracks. Fig. 3 is an inverted view of a corner cap for the door and Fig. 4: is an end view of the same. Fig. 5 is a view, showing the front portion of the track at the bottom of the door. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of a port-ion of the upper track at the front. F 7 is a plan view of the door, showing the operating mechanism at the rear upper corner. Fig. 8 is a detached portion of the corner operating mechanism. Fig. 9 is an inverted plan view of the same. Fig. 10 is a vertical sec tion of a bracket having a ball and socket joint for the yielding, resilient controlling attachment. Fig. 11 illustrates a variation in a socket for the rod 19. Fig. 12 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 13 is a hori zontal section of the casing and doors, one

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

Serial No. 200,076.

door being in the open position and the other in the closed position.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

The improvements are shown applied to a door 1 of ordinary construction. A track 2 for the upper side of the door has a groove 3 for an upstanding lug 4 which is rigid with the top of the door and this track 2 has a groove 5 for rollers 6 which are carried by a bracket 7 which is hingedly connected to the rear upper corner of the door. A cap 8 is rigidly attached to the rear upper corner of the door and has a curved bearing member 9 depending from the top member 8 and this depending member engages the upper portion and the rear portion of the rear upper corner of the door. The b'acket 7 has a bearing flange 10 which is curved to conform to the curvature of the bearing member 9. The cap 8 has an opening 11 in the upper part and the bracket 7 is hingedly connected to the cap 8 by a tongue 12 which is curved downwardly through the opening 11. The bracket cannot leave the cap 8 because the bearing flange 10 bears against the bearing member 9 and the bracket 7 cannot swing upwardly on account of the track 2. The door 1 thus has a horizontal swinging connection with the bracket 7 and the bracket 7 has a slight vertical swinging connection with the door by reason of the tongue 12 which is curved down through the opening 11. The door 1 is provided with an antifriction roller 13 which is adjust-ably attached to the door by a bracket 14 and this roller runs on a track 15 in the track member 16. The rear lower corner of the door is also provided with a guide lug 17 which runs in a groove 18 in the track member 16. hen the door is turned at the front to close the case, the roller 13 will follow the curved track and the lug 17 will follow the groove 18. At the upper side of the door,- the lug 4 will follow the curve at the front end of groove 3 and the rollers 6 will run in the groove 5, the hinge connection of the bracket 7 with the cap 8 permitting the door to swing to right angles with the bracket 7. In order to prevent the bracket 7 from leaving the track 2, either when the door is moving backward or forward or moving back and forth in front, yielding resilient means are provided which will permit freedom of w adjustable with each by a movement o'i the door and prevent the. door from leaving its tracks.

An extension rod 19 is inserted in an opening or socket 20 in the flange 10 and is held in this socket by a constant pressure of the spring 21. The spring 21 is attached to the rod 19 and seats against a washer 22 through which the rod 19 projects. A barrel in sections 23 and Ql is provided for the rod 19 into which the rod projects loosely. The section El 01? the barrel is connected by ball and socket joint 25 which may be formed on a bracket which is attached to the side of the door. The sections and 24; are made joint so that the desired tension can be had in the spring 21. The rod 19 will keep the bracket- 7 pressed upwardly against the track 2 when the door is moving back and forth from front to back and also when the door is turned to close the front of the case, the latter function being made possible by the ball and socket joint 2% as the door is turned at right angles to the bracket '7. The bracket 7 is yielding and the spring 21 will keep the bracket pressed upwardly so that the wheels or rollers 6 will not leave the track 2.

Instead of a socket in the tlange 10, a pivoted clip 27 may be provided for rod 19. This clip pivotally connected to the bracket i and has a socket 28 cut slantingly therein for the end of the rod 19. Various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from my invention.

What I claim, is,-

1. In a sliding door provided with antitriction rollers on the lower edges, tracks scre for said rollers, a balancing bracket hingedly connected to the upper rear corner of said door, rollers for the ends of said bracket, a straight track for the rollers of said bracket, a curved bearing plate attached to the rear upper corner of said door, said bracket having a flange provided with a curved edge bearing against said plate, and means for holding said bracket yieldingly against the upper track.

In a sliding door provided with antii riction rollers on the lower edges and tracks for said rollers, a bearing plate attached to the rear upper corner of said door provided 'ith a curved member extending on the rear nart or the door, a balancing bracket having hook loosely engaging said plate and havng a curved flange engaging said curved member. relatively large rollers connected with the ends of said bracket, a track for said rollers, and scans for holding said bracket yieldingly against the upper track.

3. in a sliding door provided with tracks and operative connections with said tracks including a roller bracket hingedly connected with said door for movement laterally of the plane of the door and a track for said bracket, means for holding said b acket ieldingly against its track consisting of a rod engaging said bracket, a barrel in adjustable sections pivotally connected to said door and receiving said rod loosely, and a sprin attached to said rod and bearing said barrel.

In testimony whereof, 1 27th. day of October, 1917.

set my hand, this FRANK JAMES FITE.

Gopiea 02 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, 33. G. 

